RYA VHF SHORT RANGE CERTIFICATE (GMDSS)

An intensive eight hour course, with refreshments, allowing candidates to learn, develop and practice skills using ICOM M421 and M601 radios, and to then demonstrate their competence by undertaking a short written test. Starting at 09:30 and ending at about 17:30, the course is aimed at both first time Marine Radio users and those with experience of Marine VHF who wish to learn about the new family of Digital Selective Calling Radios now on the market. The Top-up course starts at 09:30 and ends at about 13:30.

Course Content

DISTRESS SITUATIONS
• Define a distress situation
• Initiate a DSC Distress Alert, with position and time input manually or automatically
• Send a Mayday call and message by voice
• Respond appropriately to DSC Distress Alert and to Mayday Call and Message (MAYDAY
SIGNAL)
• Relay a distress message
• Know how to employ an EPIRB and a SART.
URGENCY SITUATIONS
• Define an urgency situation
• Initiate an urgency alert
• Send a Pan Pan call and message by voice
• Respond appropriately to an urgency message.
SAFETY SITUATIONS
• Identify a situation necessitating the transmission of a safety message
• Initiate a safety alert
• Transmit a safety message by voice
• Receive Maritime Safety Information by NAVTEX .
ROUTINE COMMUNICATIONS
• Use of operator controls on marine VHF radio
• Initiate a routine alert
• Establish communication and exchange messages with other stations by voice on appropriate channels
• Test the radiotelephone by means of an appropriate test call
• Initiate a DSC self test
• Enter a DSC group and individual MMSI
• Maintain an appropriate listening watch on DSC and voice channels
• Use the International Phonetic Alphabet
• Coastguard CG66 scheme.

Cost

The cost for the full day course is £102.00 and the top-up course is £62.00, both of which include the Course Fee and the Certificate issuing fee collected by the RYA for the Government.

NB

Participants will need to bring a passport size photograph, spectacles, if worn for reading or
distant vision, and a pen and paper for note taking.